Add expression control to propolis fuzz

[neiltheseal]

I really like the sound of the Mary K by JHS but I don't have the money to buy one.

Link to video here

I believe the Proplolis Fuzz is quite similar but it has no expression control. Is there a way I could modify the Proplolis to include an expression input like the video?

I have read that it is the fuzz being increased/decreased giving the impression of more/less octave. How would I do this?

 

[mdc]

It looks like there are a couple different versions of the Kay schematic floating around, but yeah the bumble buzz / propolis seems pretty much the same (it also looks like it's very closely related to the good ol' super fuzz).

...and here's the propolis, ignoring everything before C8:



There are probably a few ways to do this, but one easy way would be to pull C10 on the propolis board, fly leads to a switch, put the 22n cap on one side and a jack on the other into which you can insert an expression pedal (I think you'd want an insulated jack for this), and a different cap to ground (or not - it seems like some versions have that and some don't??). You might want a stopper resistor so the foot pedal doesn't completely kill the signal in one direction too, but I'd probably just start by getting the foot pedal to do... something... and then tinker around until you figure out how to change that something into the right thing.

That said, I'm sure someone on FSB will spite-trace the JHS pedal shortly and you can see whatever they've decided to do with it.

 

[Big Monk]

I really like the sound of the Mary K by JHS but I don't have the money to buy one.

Link to video here

I believe the Proplolis Fuzz is quite similar but it has no expression control. Is there a way I could modify the Proplolis to include an expression input like the video?

I have read that it is the fuzz being increased/decreased giving the impression of more/less octave. How would I do this?

You would use a Stereo switching jack and wire it such that when you insert the expression plug, it bypasses the potentiometer in the circuit.

My switching jack knowledge is a bit rusty but I believe you want to wire the internal potentiometer to the switching leaves.

 

[neiltheseal]

Thanks but the pripolis has no potentiometer. I’ll have to figure out where one would go to affect the fuzz

 

[Big Monk]

Thanks but the pripolis has no potentiometer. I’ll have to figure out where one would go to affect the fuzz

Per @mdc comments, what about installing the SuperFuzz "Expander" (Pre-Gain) control?

 

[mdc]

Thanks but the pripolis has no potentiometer. I’ll have to figure out where one would go to affect the fuzz

The pot would be inside the expression pedal - what you need to do is get the signal in and out of the pedal in a way that mimics the control on the original.

If you wanted, you could set things up to have that control be switchable between an onboard pot and the exp pedal using a switched jack, but that would be a bit more complicated wiring. The simplest thing to do would be to pull that single capacitor, wire two leads to a stereo jack (and connect the jack to ground), plug in the pedal and see if it sounds close enough to what you want.

 

[neiltheseal]

Per @mdc comments, what about installing the SuperFuzz "Expander" (Pre-Gain) control?

View attachment 45499

That’s a great idea. Thanks

 

[neiltheseal]

The pot would be inside the expression pedal - what you need to do is get the signal in and out of the pedal in a way that mimics the control on the original.

If you wanted, you could set things up to have that control be switchable between an onboard pot and the exp pedal using a switched jack, but that would be a bit more complicated wiring. The simplest thing to do would be to pull that single capacitor, wire two leads to a stereo jack (and connect the jack to ground), plug in the pedal and see if it sounds close enough to what you want.

Thanks. I’ll give this a try